Los Angeles Times Hiring Pressmen

As the Los Angeles Times prepares to take on the production of USA Today in less than three weeks at the Olympic Production Facility, it appears they may also absorb the remaining three newspapers currently produced at the Sun-Bulletin.

I can’t recall the last time an apprentice was hired in the pressroom; it has been at least two decades or longer. The following memo was posted in the Mailroom at the Olympic Facility last Friday.

Los Angeles Times - Olympic
Internal Job Posting
April 13, 2012

PRESSPERSON, APPRENTICE - UNION
Pressroom Department
No Experience Necessary - Will Train

RESPONSIBILITIES
As part of a press crew, performs and works with other crewmembers to perform all duties required to operate the web presses which include: webbing, plating, color balance, compensation, supplying newsprint, cleaning and maintenance of the equipment, etc., as directed by the Press Operator.

DUTIES;
Changing the reel assemblies as necessary to the size of newsprint rolls to be used according to production requirements as follows:
• Handling of rolls, such as removing from the reel, moving them to storage, preparing and reloading them to reel spindles.
• Adding, removing and/or moving the belt(s) to be used for tension and/or drive control.
• Making the pasters.
• Monitors the reel, tension and paster system throughout the press run.
Other duties:
• Engaging and/or disengaging units and the folder.
• Processing starting webs (paper) through the unit to the folder properly.
• Engages the color printing cylinder; changes or cleans the ink pumps (boxes or containers); plates-up for color position; pre-register color (done manually).
• As necessary, changing the cam action (controls), knife spacing (cut-off) and/or band adjustments (size of product) on the folder(s) for the proper production requirements.
• Handling plates to and from the plate cylinder.
• Setting the ink and fountain solution.
• Replacing, changing and/or adjusting the blankets, rollers and solution equipment as required.
• Fills any crew positions and performs other miscellaneous and related duties as assigned or required.
• Cleaning and maintaining the equipment and surrounding areas.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed rather than to be an exhaustive list of all duties.

REQUIREMENTS
• Must have 0good communication skills
• Ability to learn quickly
• Ability to follow instructions and work in a team environment
• Must be able to lift 75 lbs
• Must be flexible and able to work multiple shifts and weekends

Starting Pay; $15.00 - (to be evaluated based on performance, every six months, for the
first four years).

Three LA Times Pressmen Recalled

Congratulations to (left to right) David Allmon, Emmett Jaime, and Otis Miller on being recalled after their layoffs from the Los Angeles Times Pressroom. This is a pleasant change from all the layoffs and terminations occurring in the Operations Departments the past few years. With rumors of USA Today being produced by the Los Angeles Times the second week of April, a few more pressmen and presswomen may be recalled shortly.

Romel Aspiras Rest in Peace

Gary Bunch called with the sad news that Los Angeles Times Pressman Romel Aspiras has passed away early this morning. May he rest in peace.



Photo credit: Danny Koval

Davan Maharaj welcomes Jonathan Gold back to the LA Times

From: Maharaj, Davan
Sent: Monday, March 05, 2012 8:08 AM
To: yyeditall
Subject: Jonathan Gold

Comrades,

Please join me in welcoming an old friend back to our newsroom.

Jonathan Gold is joining the Los Angeles Times as a restaurant critic and columnist — in print and with special online reports.

His love of all things gastronomical has taken him from the L.A. Weekly (where he started as proofreader in 1982), to the Los Angeles Times (1990-96, where he wrote his Counter Intelligence column), to Gourmet (where he was the magazine’s New York restaurant critic) and back to the L.A. Weekly (where he worked for more than a decade). If you follow the L.A. food scene, you know about Jonathan’s ability to find and savor Uzbek, Korean, Peruvian and Islamic Chinese cuisine. He discovered the only Trinidadian restaurant in Inglewood.

You’ve probably heard about crickets, fried grasshoppers and some animal parts that Jonathan has consumed in pursuit of outstanding food journalism. Five years ago, he won the Pulitzer Prize for criticism — the first win for a food writer. He was a Pulitzer finalist last year as well. He has been honored twice as a National Magazine Award finalist in criticism by the American Society of Magazine Editors.

“He sees Los Angeles as ‘the anti-melting pot’ — the home of true, undiluted regional cookery — but also has a fondness for what he calls the ‘triple carom’: the Cajun seafood restaurant that caters to Chinese customers and is run by Vietnamese from Texas,” Dana Goodyear wrote in a 2009 profile of Jonathan in the New Yorker. He is, Goodyear added, “sly and erudite, withdrawn in person and in print exuberant.”

Jonathan will join an award-winning staff that includes Times Food Editor Russ Parsons and restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila in our never-ending quest to chronicle the greatest food scene in America. His work will first appear on March 10 in our new Saturday print section and online at latimes.com/food.

Welcome home, Jonathan.

—­Davan

Kathy Thomson on the new paywall at the LA Times

From: Thomson, Kathy K
Sent: Monday, March 05, 2012 8:58 AM
To: AllLosAngelesTimesEmployees
Subject: It's official

Hi Everyone,

We officially launched our Membership program at 6am this morning and all has gone very smoothly so far. Registration for employees is also now live at www.latimes.com/employeemembership.

A big Thank You to the extended team who has worked tirelessly to make sure our members have the best experience. This begins an exciting new chapter for us at LATMG.

In other news, please see the note below from Davan and join me in welcoming Jonathan to the team!

Kathy

LA Times Pressman Romel Aspiras Has Suffered a Heart Attack

Romel Aspiras a long time press operator at the Los Angeles Times has suffered a heart attack in Northern California while visiting his brother.

No further information is available at this moment.

Please say prayers for Romel.

In Memory of Steve Parker

From Steve's sister Karol:

Hi Ed,

I wanted to share this picture with you so you could post it on your blog. I am Steve’s sister and this picture was taken 19 years ago.

My brother was the kindest, most thoughtful, and most loved person on the Planet. I feel as if a piece of me is gone forever. My love and prayers go out to all who loved him as I did.

Thank you for doing this for him it is very much appreciated. I know the Times family misses him as much as I do.

Don Reese Rest in Peace

(From left) Bill Conover, Terry Domingo, Edward, and Don Reese

Just heard that Brother Don Reese passed away early this morning after his long battle with cancer, may he rest in peace. I will post additional information as it becomes available.

Steve Parker Rest in Peace

Sad news to report this morning, forty-four year Los Angeles Times Employee Steve Parker passed away last night after suffering a heart attack.

Steve began his four-decade newspaper career as a material handler in the shuttered Transportation Department, and transferred to the press room in 1972 and was currently still employed.

I have no further information at this time and ask if someone would forward a few photographs I can use online.

Rest in Peace Brother Parker

Edward D. Padgett Sr. Rest in Peace

Edward D. Padgett Sr. 01.12.33 - 02.09.12

My father passed away yesterday after his five year struggle with the effects of Alzheimer’s, which many have shared regarding their own experiences with their parents and grandparents.

Survived by his wife Maria Elena of fifty years, she was at his side when he passed away at the hospital.

His children; Edward, Celeste, Michael, William, and Martha.

Grandchildren; Kristine, Bryan, Lauren, Margaret, Nathan, Joanna, Michelle, Michael, Kenny, and Gabby.

Great grandchildren; David, Denise, and Bentley

Preceeded in death by his brother Boyd and Grandson Bryan

Worked as a truck driver for the Los Angeles Times from 1950 till the first of many buyouts gave him an early retirement in 1992.

Retired to Desert Hot Springs where he volunteered with the Desert Hot Spring Police Department several times per week and enjoyed hanging out at the 19th hole of the golf course within the community he lived.

Funeral arrangements pending.

Christmas Eve in the Blogosphere

Emmett Jaime (left) to be let go after twenty-four years at the Los Angeles Times

• End of an era - The EXPOSITOR
• What is it with billionaires and newspapers? - Forbes
• Santa's gremlins: A Christmas Story - The Daily News
• Old Gray Hag Does Edward Padgett a Favor - Mayor Sam
• Yes, Virginia, there may be no more editorials - Gannett Blog
• Newspaper that helps homeless is thriving - Tampa Bay Online
• Arizona Republic intern jumps off newspaper building - Romenesko
• Historic newspaper used to cover a window in Torrance - Kevin Roderick
• On Brink of Closure, California Weekly Points Finger at Gannett - Fishbowl
• The Great Retrenchment Among Newspaper Publishers - Editor & Publisher
  

Save Our Trade: IMPORTANT NOTICE

By Ronnie Pineda
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The company has notified the union that there have been numerous questionable events taking place in recent months that lead them to believe that there are employees possibly creating dangerous and costly downtime incidents during production. For the record, the Union denies any such behavior.

It was brought to my attention that a reel arm bolt wrench found its way into the compactor and the wrench was propelled from the machine at a dangerous speed causing damage to the compactor, and more importantly, could have caused a serious injury, or possibly even death to employees that were in the area at the time. No one is being accused of intentionally placing the wrench in the waste container but management does not consider this an accident.

In the name of safety and cooperation, I must remind all bargaining unit employees that the Union does not condone nor do we support any behavior that would place another employee in harms way or interferes with production. Furthermore, the Union will not defend nor represent any individual found guilty of participating in any proscribed activity.

The following language pertains to this notice and should be understood and followed.

Section 3.1. No Strike. (a) During the term of this Agreement there shall be no strikes,
sympathy strikes, work stoppages, slowdowns, boycotts, intentional interruption of
production, delays or suspension of work of any nature, and no other acts that interfere
with the Company’s operations or the production or sale of its products or services by the
Union, its officers, agents or members, or by the employees. During the term of this
Agreement there shall be no lockout of any employees by the Company.


(b) The Union agrees that it will take every effort possible to discourage, prevent and
end any strike or proscribed activity and will inform all employees who participate in
such activity that it is their individual responsibility.


(c) Any or all employees participating in any such activity proscribed herein shall be
subject to disciplinary action, including discharge. In the event that a grievance is filed
with respect to activity proscribed herein, the only question before the arbitrator shall be
whether the employee engaged in such proscribed activity. If the arbitrator finds that the
employee engaged in the proscribed activity, s/he shall have no authority to rescind or
otherwise modify the discipline imposed by the Employer.


In Solidarity,
Ronnie Pineda
President
GCC/IBT Local 140-N


Save Our Trade: IMPORTANT NOTICE

Los Angeles Times Christmas Purge

Victor Banuelos with Sam Zell

The Los Angeles Times Christmas purge is ongoing, as several pressmen have been notified today that their services are no longer needed for tonight’s shift. A total of thirteen pressmen will be laid off by December 31st, 2011, or sooner as the advertising in the newspaper has lightened with Christmas just two days away. I wish my former colleagues the best.

Geoff Hemenway

Victor worked for the newspaper for over 25 years, and Geoff 24 years

Los Angeles Times Pressmen Gathering 2012

From Emmett Jaime:

"Hello again and Happy New Year, we hope you and your families had a great Holiday Season. Now its time to get together again for our first Retirees Breakfast of the new year. I hope you can attend, the last breakfast we had brought us some new ex-press people we had not seen since we left the workplace and it was the biggest turnout so far so please try to make this one as we hope to see new faces that might show up. If you plan on bringing somebody with you please let me know".



Place: Carrows Restaurant
Address: 21130 E. Golden Springs
City: Walnut, CA. 91789-3923
Phone: 909-598-5359
Date: January 17th, 2012
Time: 9:30am

Los Angeles Times Terminates the Blogging Pressman

After working thirty-nine years, four months, and nine days for the Los Angeles Times I was informed over the phone by human resources that I was terminated on Monday December 12th, 2011. I had no clue I was under investigation, so it came as a shock to learn I was being investigated by human resources and terminated upon the completion of the so-called investigation.

I’m not at liberty to share why I was terminated or what my actions in response will be at this time; so stay tuned as this unfolds.